The Current Developments of Spacex Cooperation

This paper explains the current developments of SpaceX, especially about Starship. SpaceX is a rocket manufacturing company that designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. This company was founded by Elon Musk in 2020 aiming for a revolutionary change in space technology. The ultimate goal of this company is to enable people to live on other planets especially on Mars. 

SpaceX is currently developing “Starship” spacecraft and “Starlink”. Starship is focusing on reducing the cost of launching spacecraft. On the other hand, Starlink is focusing on reducing the cost of internet service and to provide internet at every remote corner of the world. In this paper only about Starship will be discussed.

Starship

A fully reusable transportation system named Starship is developed by SpaceX to make a human colony on Mars. Initially, it was named ‘Interplanetary Transport System”, then ‘Big Falcon’ and finally ‘Starship’.

Starship was initially supposed to build with carbon fiber. Later the plan was switched to stainless steel. Because stainless steel is denser, has greater thermal properties and most importantly it is cheaper. Starship is capable of carrying 100 passengers. It serves as spacecraft to shuttle boat people and cargo to Earth orbit and beyond. Starship can be discussed into two body parts, starship (spacecraft) and Super Heavy. Spacecraft are powered by 6 raptor engines. From them, 3 raptor engines will be used for its time in the atmosphere and the rest will be used for proportion in space. But the real power for the transportation system comes from Super Heavy Rocket containing 37 raptor engines. Combining Starship and Super Heavy, it will be the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. After reaching earth’s orbit the Super Heavy will be separated from the Spacecraft and it will return to earth and land vertically. Starship will continue its journey to the destination. After completing the mission Starship will also return to earth and it will also land vertically like Super Heavy.

Summary

Imagine a plane carrying passengers can only be used only one time. After one flight this plane will be destroyed or be useless. In this situation, the cost of a flight for each passenger will not be affordable. A plane is reusable that is why the price of the flight is affordable. On the other hand, a spacecraft can only take off one time. That is why the launching cost is high. SpaceX is working to make the Starship reusable. As a result, the SpaceX team predicted that the cost will reduce as a factor of 100.

References

• SpaceX. (2020, May 2).
• Spacexcmsadmin. (2019, September 28). Starship.
• Seeker. (n.d.). How SpaceX’s Starship Will Become the Most Powerful Rocket in the World. Retrieved May 1, 2020
• Spacexcmsadmin. (2019, September 28). Starship.